ES3026545T3 - Multi-lumen bridge for negative pressure wound therapy system - Google Patents

Abstract

A bridge for facilitating the delivery of reduced pressure to a wound includes a reduced pressure lumen configured to be fluidly coupled to a reduced pressure source, a secondary pressure lumen configured to be fluidly coupled to a secondary pressure source, and one or more fluid adapters that connect to a dressing disposed on the wound. These adapters are positioned and configured with respect to the reduced pressure lumen to apply reduced pressure from the reduced pressure lumen to the wound through the dressing and deliver exudate extracted from the wound through the reduced pressure lumen to the reduced pressure tubing. The secondary pressure lumen is fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure lumen to facilitate the flow of exudate extracted from the wound by the reduced pressure source using the secondary pressure source. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, no legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Multilumen bridge for negative pressure wound therapy system

Field

This disclosure relates to the field of negative pressure wound therapy. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a bridge for facilitating fluid flow from multiple pressure sources to/from hard-to-reach wound sites.

Background

The primary goal of negative pressure wound therapy (also known as “reduced pressure therapy” or “vacuum therapy” in the medical community) is to apply reduced pressure (also known as “negative pressure” or “vacuum pressure,” but referred to herein as “reduced pressure”) to the wound site to stimulate healing and remove excess exudate from the wound site. The primary components of a negative pressure wound therapy system (hereafter “NPWT system”) include a source of reduced pressure (e.g., a vacuum pump), a waste container to collect exudate removed from the wound site, a dressing/enclosure to fill/cover the wound site, and tubing that fluidly connects the dressing/enclosure to the source of reduced pressure and the container. The wound dressing typically includes a wound filler, such as foam or gauze, and a thin film (usually a polyurethane film) applied via adhesive to the patient's skin around the wound site and over the wound filler. The thin film creates a substantially sealed enclosure at the wound site. A hole is typically provided in the thin film near the center of the wound to allow the wound dressing to fluidly couple to the source of reduced pressure via a "dome" that fluidly connects the tube to the hole in the thin film.

To assist the reduced-pressure source, the presence of additional airflow in the dome has been determined to play an important role in transferring exudate from the wound site to the container. The vents surrounding the dome have traditionally been the source of this additional airflow. However, the use of ambient air from outside the NPWT system raises air quality concerns. Furthermore, the additional airflow combined with the reduced pressure of the reduced-pressure source is difficult to manage using vents in the dome.

Furthermore, the location of the wound site often does not allow for convenient placement of a hard, bulky, and/or non-conformable dome over the wound site. Therefore, in these circumstances, either the dome is located some distance from the wound site, and a bridge, usually made of soft materials, is used to fluidly couple the dome to the wound dressing, or the dome is omitted altogether and the reduced pressure source tubing is connected directly to the bridge. In the above solution for hard-to-reach wound sites, it has been found that the distance between the bridge and the dome prevents the dual airflow in the dome from having a significant impact on the removal of exudate from the wound site to the container. In the latter solution, the desired dual airflow for hard-to-reach wound sites is usually omitted, or a vent is provided in the bridge or wound dressing, which still has the undesirable effect of introducing ambient air that cannot be effectively managed in the NPWT system, as noted above.

Therefore, what is needed is an improved NPWT system bridge to deliver reduced pressure to a wound dressing with a manageable additional airflow to facilitate the flow of exudate from the wound site to the container. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide this airflow without introducing ambient air from the surrounding environment.

Previously published patent document CN103781501 and corresponding US patent document US 10660993 describe a system and method for decompression treatment of a tissue site.

Previously published patent document US2017/189236 describes a negative pressure therapy system.

Summary

The foregoing and other needs are met by a system that facilitates the application of reduced pressure at a wound site. The system includes a bridge having a reduced pressure lumen, a secondary pressure lumen, and one or more fluid adapters connectable to a wound dressing disposed at the wound site. The reduced pressure lumen includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the reduced pressure lumen configured to be fluidly coupled to a reduced pressure tube that is fluidly coupled to a reduced pressure source. The secondary pressure lumen includes a first end and a second end, with the first end of the secondary pressure lumen configured to be fluidly coupled to a secondary pressure tube that is fluidly coupled to a secondary pressure source. The second end of the secondary pressure lumen is fluidly coupled to the second end of the reduced pressure lumen to facilitate the flow of exudate removed from the wound site by the reduced pressure source using the secondary pressure source. The one or more fluid adapters are positioned and configured with respect to the reduced pressure lumen to apply reduced pressure from the reduced pressure lumen to the wound site through the wound dressing and deliver exudate drawn from the wound site through the reduced pressure lumen to the reduced pressure tubing.

According to certain embodiments, the system further includes a first sealing member, a second sealing member, and a manifold member disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member to form the reduced pressure lumen and the secondary pressure lumen. According to this embodiment, the manifold member includes an opening for fluidly connecting the secondary pressure lumen to the reduced pressure lumen. In some embodiments, the one or more fluid adapters extend through the first sealing member, and at least one of the one or more fluid adapters is disposed adjacent to the opening in the manifold member.

According to certain embodiments, the first sealing member is configured to contact the skin of a patient with the first sealing member including a moisture permeable membrane to allow moisture from the patient to be transferred to at least one of the reduced pressure lumen and the secondary pressure lumen through the moisture permeable membrane.

According to certain embodiments, the first sealing member is configured to contact the skin of a patient, and the first sealing member includes an adhesive for securing the bridge to the patient's skin and a release liner for substantially covering the first sealing member prior to securing the bridge to the patient's skin. In some embodiments, the release liner includes a plurality of perforated sections to provide selective application of the first sealing member to the patient's skin.

According to certain embodiments, the one or more fluid adapters include a first fluid adapter disposed adjacent the second end of the reduced pressure lumen for connection to a first connection site of the wound dressing and a second fluid adapter disposed adjacent the second end of the secondary pressure lumen for connection to a second connection site of the wound dressing. According to this embodiment, the secondary pressure lumen is fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure lumen based at least in part on a convergent fluid flow path between the first and second connection sites of the wound dressing.

According to certain embodiments, the bridge may further include one or more modular components for connecting the first end of the reduced pressure lumen to the reduced pressure tube and for connecting the first end of the secondary pressure lumen to the secondary pressure tube. In some embodiments, the one or more modular components include a dual-lumen extension member having a first lumen for fluidly coupling to the reduced pressure tube at a first end and to the reduced pressure lumen at a second end and a second lumen for fluidly coupling to the secondary pressure tube at a first end and to the secondary pressure lumen at a second end. According to this embodiment, the first lumen of the dual-lumen extension member may be isolated from the second lumen. In some embodiments, the first lumen includes one or more fluid adapters for connecting the first lumen to a second wound dressing disposed at a second wound site. In some embodiments, the first lumen of the dual lumen extension element includes a fluid adapter disposed between the first end and the second end of the first lumen, and the one or more modular components further include a reduced pressure lumen extension element for fluidly coupling to the fluid adapter of the first lumen of the dual lumen extension element. The reduced pressure lumen extension element of this embodiment includes one or more fluid adapters for connecting the reduced pressure lumen extension element to a second wound dressing disposed at a second wound site.

According to another embodiment, the one or more modular components include a first modular component including a single lumen for fluidly coupling to the secondary pressure tube at a first end and to the secondary pressure lumen at a second end and a second modular component including a single lumen for fluidly coupling to the reduced pressure tube at a first end and to the reduced pressure lumen at a second end. According to this embodiment, the single lumen may include one or more fluid adapters disposed between the first end and the second end for connecting the second modular component to a second wound dressing disposed at a second wound site. According to yet another embodiment, the one or more modular components include one or more single lumen extension elements for fluidly coupling to the secondary pressure tube at a first end and to the secondary pressure lumen at a second end or to the reduced pressure tube at the first end and the reduced pressure lumen at the second end.

According to another embodiment of the disclosure, the system may further include the reduced pressure source configured to deliver the reduced pressure through the reduced pressure tube, a container fluidly coupled with the reduced pressure source and the reduced pressure tube to receive exudate collected from the wound site, and the secondary pressure source configured to deliver the secondary pressure through the secondary pressure tube. In certain embodiments, the system includes a first closed volume disposed between the reduced pressure source and the second end of the reduced pressure lumen of the bridge and a second closed volume disposed between the secondary pressure source and the second end of the secondary pressure lumen of the bridge, the first volume being closed and the second closed volume fluidly connected at the second ends of the reduced pressure lumen and the secondary pressure lumen. In certain embodiments, the first closed volume includes a first pressure sensor and the second closed volume includes a second pressure sensor. In certain embodiments, the system further includes a controller configured to communicate with the secondary pressure source to selectively deliver the secondary pressure to the secondary pressure lumen of the bridge.

In accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure, a system for facilitating delivery of reduced pressure to a wound site is disclosed, with the bridge including a reduced pressure lumen configured to be fluidly coupled to a reduced pressure source and a secondary pressure lumen configured to be fluidly coupled to a secondary pressure source at a first end and fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure lumen at a second end to facilitate flow of exudate removed from the wound site by the reduced pressure source using the secondary pressure source. In accordance with this embodiment, at least one of the reduced pressure lumen and the secondary pressure lumen includes a skin-contacting surface formed at least in part by a moisture-permeable membrane to allow moisture from the patient to be transferred to the reduced pressure lumen or the secondary pressure lumen through the moisture-permeable membrane.

In certain embodiments, the skin-contacting surface includes an adhesive for securing the bridge to the patient's skin, and the bridge further includes a release liner for substantially covering the skin-contacting surface prior to securing the bridge to the patient's skin. In some embodiments, the release liner includes a plurality of perforated sections to provide selective application of the skin-contacting surface to the patient's skin.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the disclosure, a system for facilitating delivery of reduced pressure to a wound site includes a bridge having a first sealing member and a second sealing member. The first sealing member includes an interior surface and an exterior surface in contact with the skin. The second sealing member is sealed to a portion of the interior surface of the first sealing member to form a substantially sealed enclosure having a reduced pressure lumen and a secondary pressure lumen disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member. The secondary pressure lumen is fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure lumen to form a fluid flow path within the substantially sealed enclosure. The bridge further includes a first fluid adapter for fluidly coupling the reduced pressure lumen to a reduced pressure source for delivering exudate extracted from the wound dressing through the reduced pressure lumen of the fluid flow path, a second fluid adapter for fluidly coupling the secondary pressure lumen to a secondary pressure source such that, when the secondary pressure source is activated, fluid flow from the secondary pressure source delivered through the secondary pressure lumen converges with fluid flow from the reduced pressure source along the fluid flow path to facilitate delivery of the exudate extracted from the wound dressing through the reduced pressure lumen, and a third fluid adapter extending through the first sealing member and disposed along the fluid flow path between the first fluid adapter and the second fluid adapter for fluidly coupling the reduced pressure lumen to the wound dressing and for fluidly coupling the secondary pressure lumen to the reduced pressure lumen adjacent the wound dressing.

In certain embodiments, the first sealing member is formed at least in part of a moisture-permeable membrane to allow moisture from a patient to be transferred to the substantially sealed enclosure through the first sealing member. In some embodiments, the first sealing member includes an adhesive to secure the bridge to the patient, and the bridge further includes a release liner to substantially cover the skin-contacting surface prior to securing the bridge to the patient's skin. In some embodiments, the release liner includes a plurality of perforated sections to provide selective application of the skin-contacting surface to the patient's skin.

Brief description of the drawings

Other embodiments of the invention will become apparent by reference to the detailed description in conjunction with the figures, in which elements are not to scale to show details more clearly, in which like reference numerals indicate like elements in the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 shows a somewhat schematic diagram of an NPWT system according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 2A shows a bottom cross-sectional view of a multi-lumen bridge with lumens side by side according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 2A shows a bottom view of the multi-lumen bridge of Fig. 2 with a release liner attached to a lower sealing member of the bridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 3 depicts a side cross-sectional view of a multi-lumen bridge with upper and lower lumens according to another embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 4 shows an aerial view of a modular connecting bridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the modular connecting bridge taken along line B of FIG. 4;

Fig. 5 shows a top view of a multi-lumen extension element according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 5B shows a cross-sectional view of the multi-lumen extension element taken along line B of FIG. 5;

Fig. 6 shows a top view of a single lumen extension element according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 6B shows a cross-sectional view of the single lumen extension element taken along line B of FIG. 6;

Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a modular bridge according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a modular bridge according to another embodiment of the disclosure; and

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of a modular bridge according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

Detailed description

Referring initially to FIG. 1 , the present disclosure is generally directed to an NPWT system 10 having a reduced pressure source 12 configured to deliver reduced pressure through a reduced pressure tube 14 to a wound dressing 16 to be placed at a wound site. As is understood in the art, the wound dressing 16 typically includes a foam/gauze material 15 for packing the open wound and a thin film 17 (typically a polyurethane film) adhesively applied to a patient's skin around the wound site to seal the wound site. A waste container 20 is fluidly coupled with the reduced pressure source 12 and the reduced pressure tube 14 for receiving exudate collected from the wound site. A secondary pressure source 22 is configured to supply a secondary pressure through a secondary pressure tube 24. In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the reduced pressure tube 14 and the secondary pressure tube 24 may be joined together using a double lumen tube as is known in the art. In other embodiments, the reduced pressure tubes 14 and the secondary pressure tubes 24 may be completely separate tubes.

While the reduced pressure tube 14 and the secondary pressure tube 24 may be directly connected to a wound dressing 16 or to a sealed wound enclosure disposed at the wound site as described in detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 16/235,113, which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, the present disclosure is directed to a bridge 50 for fluidly coupling the reduced pressure tube 14 and the secondary pressure tube 24 to the wound dressing 16. The bridge 50 facilitates delivery of the reduced pressure to wound sites where placement of a bridge 50 made of soft materials is preferred. While the bridge 50 is explained in more detail below, the bridge generally includes a reduced pressure lumen 52 that is configured to fluidly couple to the reduced pressure tube 14 and a secondary pressure lumen 62 that is configured to fluidly couple to the secondary pressure tube 24. The reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 are fluidly connected to each other within the bridge 50 and/or the dressing 16 such that the secondary pressure can facilitate removal of exudate through the reduced pressure lumen 52 of the bridge 50 and the reduced pressure tube 14 until it is deposited in the container 20.

For the purposes of the present disclosure, it is noted that “fluidly coupled” (or “fluid coupling”) generally refers to two or more structures or fluid passageways that are in fluid communication with one another, while recognizing the potential for intermediate components to be used to fluidly connect the particular structures or fluid passageways. For example, the waste container 20 as described above may be referred to as “fluidly coupled” to the wound dressing 16 even though an intermediate reduced pressure tube 14 is used to connect the components together. Similarly, the reduced pressure tube 14 may be said to be used to “fluidly couple” the wound dressing 16 to the reduced pressure source 12 even though the container 20 is disposed along the fluid flow path between the tube 14 and the reduced pressure source 12. On the other hand, “fluidly connected” (or “fluidly connected”) may be used to refer to a more direct fluid communication between two components. For example, the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 of the bridge 50 are typically described herein as “fluidly connected” when there is direct fluid communication between the two lumens within the bridge 50.

In certain embodiments, and as depicted in FIG. 1 , a single vacuum pump 26 can provide both the reduced pressure source 12 and the secondary pressure source 22. In accordance with this embodiment, the inlet of the vacuum pump 26 serves as the reduced pressure source 12 by fluidly connecting the inlet to a collection chamber 21 of the container 20 and also fluidly connecting the reduced pressure tube 14 to the collection chamber 21 such that fluid/exudate collected from the wound site is deposited in the collection chamber 21 of the container 20. Moreover, the outlet of the single vacuum pump 26 serves as the secondary pressure source 22 by fluidly coupling the outlet to the secondary pressure tube 24 via a secondary pressure chamber 23 traversing the interior of the container 20 while being fluidly isolated from the collection chamber 21 (e.g., a chamber 23 within the container 20 to fluidly connect the outlet to the secondary pressure tube 24 while isolates the secondary pressure generated by the pump outlet from the reduced pressure generated from the pump inlet). In accordance with this embodiment, a first filter 28 is preferably disposed between the pump inlet and the collection chamber 21 and a second filter 30 is preferably disposed adjacent to the pump outlet and within the secondary pressure chamber 23. The first filter 28 is positioned and configured to protect the vacuum pump from exudate collected in the collection chamber 21 by preventing the exudate from entering the vacuum pump 26 through the pump inlet. The second filter 30 is positioned and configured to remove unwanted particles generated by the pump outlet 15. Accordingly, by utilizing appropriate filters 28 and 30 in combination with the pump inlet as a reduced pressure source 12 and the pump outlet as a secondary pressure source 22, the system 10 of FIG. 1 may be used to create an active airflow circulation between the container 20, the bridge 50 and the wound dressing 16 using a single vacuum pump 26.

While a single vacuum pump 26 may be used to provide both the reduced pressure source 12 and the secondary pressure source 22 as described above and shown in FIG. 1 , many other types of secondary pressure sources 22 may be used with the bridge 50 of the present disclosure. For example, the secondary pressure source 22 may be a separate chamber filled with fluid under controlled conditions to ensure fluid quality (e.g., filtered air). In accordance with this embodiment, the desired fluid flow within the system 10 may be created/managed by controlling/managing the pressure differential between the secondary pressure source chamber 22 and the pressure of the vessel 20 as described below in the closed system. According to other embodiments, the secondary pressure source 22 may be a secondary pump for actively pushing fluid toward the bridge 50. According to yet another embodiment, the secondary pressure source 22 may include both a chamber filled with fluid under controlled conditions and a secondary pump for actively pushing fluid from the chamber to the bridge 50. In alternative embodiments, the secondary pressure source 22 may be a vent to atmosphere. For example, the secondary pressure source 22 may be a vent in a separate chamber connected to the bridge 50 by a secondary pressure tube 24. The secondary pressure according to this embodiment could be constantly applied to the bridge 50 or controlled by a pump and/or valve (or series of valves). While not as desirable, the secondary pressure source 22 of certain embodiments of the present disclosure could even be a vent formed directly in the bridge 50 that is fluidly coupled to the secondary pressure lumen 62.

Whether the secondary pressure source 22 is the outlet of the reduced pressure source 12 as depicted in FIG. 1 or a separate chamber/pump as noted above and described in detail in the commonly assigned '113 Application, the reduced pressure source 12 generates a first fluid flow path through a reduced pressure tube 14 and a reduced pressure lumen 52 (as indicated by arrows 32) while the secondary pressure source 22 generates a second fluid flow path through a secondary pressure tube 24 and a secondary pressure lumen 62 (as indicated by arrows 42). In accordance with the first fluid flow path 32, the reduced pressure source 12 is operable to provide primary reduced pressure to the wound dressing 16 such that fluid flows from the wound site to the container 20 through the reduced pressure lumen 52 of the bridge 50 and the reduced pressure tube 14. The reduced pressure generated by the reduced pressure source 12 serves to both promote healing by applying the reduced pressure to the wound site and to remove exudate from the wound site into the container 20. In accordance with the second fluid flow path 42, the secondary pressure source 22 is operable to provide the secondary pressure to the bridge 50 through the secondary pressure tube 24 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 of the bridge 50 to facilitate removal of the exudate through the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the reduced pressure tube 14 as described in more detail below.

For the purposes of the present disclosure, the secondary pressure provided by the secondary pressure source 22 will be greater than the pressure at the connection between the wound dressing 16 and the bridge 50 to prevent wound site exudate from entering the second fluid flow path 42. Similarly, the secondary pressure will also be greater than the primary reduced pressure generated by the reduced pressure source 12 within the first fluid flow path 32. Accordingly, since the second fluid flow path 42 is fluidly connected to the first fluid flow path 32 via the bridge 50 and the pressure of the second fluid flow path 42 is greater than the pressure of the first fluid flow path 32, fluid in the second fluid flow path 42 is forced toward the first fluid flow path 32 (as indicated by arrow 46 on the bridge 50 and referred to herein as a “converging fluid flow path”) when both the second fluid flow source and the first fluid flow path 32 are activated. reduced pressure 12 as the secondary pressure source 22.

The converging fluid flow path 46 may be used to facilitate flow of exudate from the wound site to the container 20 via the first fluid flow path 32. In other words, activation of the secondary pressure source 22 (e.g., with a controller connected to the secondary pressure source 22) should prevent or otherwise reduce blockage in the reduced pressure lumen 52 of the bridge 50 and the reduced pressure tubing 14, which would require intervention by the nurse and an unnecessary change of dressing 16 and/or bridge 50 for the patient as a result of the blockage. For example, according to certain embodiments, the reduced pressure source 12 may be configured to deliver a reduced pressure of -125 mmHg to the wound dressing 16 via the first fluid flow path 32, while the secondary pressure source 22 may be configured to deliver a reduced pressure of -80 mmHg to the bridge 50 via the second fluid flow path 42. Thus, when both the reduced pressure source 12 and the secondary pressure source 22 are activated, the second fluid flow path 42 having a pressure of -80 mmHg will converge with the first fluid flow path 32 having a pressure of -125 mmHg. The converging fluid flow path 46 will then have a pressure greater than the -125 mmHg generated by the reduced pressure source 12 to facilitate flow from the wound site 16 to the container 20 via the first fluid flow path 32.

In preferred embodiments, the reduced pressure source 12 will be configured to apply a reduced pressure to the wound site of between about -5 mmHg and about -200 mmHg, and more preferably between about -40 mmHg and about -125 mmHg. The secondary pressure source 22 is then configured to apply a pressure to the bridge 50 that is greater than the pressure applied to the wound site by the reduced pressure source 12. In preferred embodiments, the secondary pressure will be between about 1 mmHg and about 760 mmHg above the pressure applied at the wound site by the reduced pressure source 12, more preferably about 1 mmHg and about 740 mmHg above the pressure applied at the wound site, and most preferably about 5 mmHg and about 40 mmHg greater than the pressure applied at the wound site.

In accordance with preferred embodiments described herein, fluid flow in the first fluid flow path 32, the second fluid flow path 42, and/or the converging fluid flow path 46 is created/managed utilizing two or more closed volumes that are fluidly connected by the bridge 50. As a result of utilizing two fluidly connected closed volumes to create/control fluid flow within the system 10, fluid flow is generated/managed without requiring any type of venting arrangement to produce or manage fluid flow of the first and second fluid flow paths 32, 42. In other words, while the present disclosure may provide for venting air to atmosphere to release pressure within the system, fluid flow of the fluid flow paths 32, 42 described herein may be controlled independently of pressure inside or outside the system by controlling the two fluidly connected closed volumes rather than requiring the introduction or release of outside air to generate/manage the pressures. fluid flow paths. Therefore, for the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “closed volume” refers to a portion of the NPWT system that does not allow any transfer of air or fluid from outside the system (i.e., ambient air) into the system while fluid flow is activated in the fluid flow path of the particular closed volume. Similarly, a “closed system” refers to an NPWT system having two or more fluidly connected closed volumes wherein the system as a whole does not allow any transfer of air or external fluids into the system (except for exudate fluids removed from the wound site) while fluid flow is activated in fluid flow paths 32 and 42.

Referring still to FIG. 1, a first closed volume of the NPWT system 10 of this embodiment includes the reduced pressure source 12 in fluid communication with the container 20, a sealed wound dressing 16, a reduced pressure tube 14, and a reduced pressure lumen 52 of the bridge 50. The secondary pressure source 22, the secondary pressure tube 24, and the secondary pressure lumen 62 of the bridge 50 form the second closed volume of the NPWT system 10. As a result of both the reduced pressure source 12 and the secondary pressure source 22 being fluidly connected within the bridge 50, the first closed volume is fluidly connected to the second closed volume such that fluid flow between the two closed volumes can be managed without the introduction of ambient air from outside the closed system 10.

In accordance with another aspect of the system 10 exemplified in FIG. 1 and as described above, a first pressure sensor 38 may be disposed along the first fluid flow path 32, while a second pressure sensor 48 may be disposed along the second fluid flow path 42. In this regard, a pressure measured at one end of a fluid flow path should be substantially equal to the pressure at the other end of the fluid flow path as long as there is very little or no liquid/exudate present in the fluid flow path and the ratio of the inside diameter to the length of the fluid flow path is not too small. As a result, when the secondary pressure source 22 is inactive, or the second fluid flow path 42 is otherwise isolated from any secondary pressure generated from the secondary pressure source 22 (e.g., a valve in a closed position is disposed between the secondary pressure source and the second pressure sensor), the second pressure sensor 48 can be used to measure the primary reduced pressure being applied to the wound dressing 16 by the reduced pressure source 12, given that there should be little or no fluid in the second fluid flow path 42.

When the reduced pressure source 12 and the secondary pressure source 22 are both activated, various operating conditions of the closed system 10 can be determined by comparing the pressure readings of the first pressure sensor 38 with the pressure readings of the second pressure sensor 48. In particular, monitoring the pressure readings of the two pressure sensors can provide information regarding the amount of exudate being delivered from the wound dressing 16 to the container 20 via the first fluid flow path 32. For example, a small difference between the readings of the two pressure sensors would indicate that a small amount of exudate is being delivered to the container 20 via the first fluid flow path 32, while a larger difference between the pressure readings would indicate a greater amount of exudate in the first fluid flow path 32. In other words, when the pressures of the first fluid flow path 32 and the second fluid flow path 42 are the same or substantially the same, the pressures of the second fluid flow path 42 and the wound dressing 16 can be determined. similar during activation of both the reduced pressure source 12 and the secondary pressure source 22, this indicates that there should be a relatively small amount of exudate (if any) flowing from the wound dressing 16 to the container 20 because the secondary pressure of the second fluid flow path 42 has been able to converge with the reduced pressure of the first fluid flow path 32 to form a converging fluid flow path 46 having a similar pressure along the entire length of the converging path. However, when there is a larger amount of ooze in the first fluid flow path 32, the pressure of the first fluid flow path 32 will be substantially different than the pressure of the second fluid flow path 42 because the second fluid flow path 42 could not readily converge with the first fluid flow path 32 due to the existence of significant ooze in the first fluid flow path 32. Depending on how large the difference between the pressure readings is, it could also be determined that (1) a blocking condition exists in the first fluid flow path 32 and/or (2) a filling condition exists in the vessel 20 wherein the vessel 20 is close to being filled with ooze.

Referring to FIG. 2, a bottom cross-sectional view of a bridge 50 as generally shown in FIG. 1 is depicted with a reduced pressure lumen 52 and a secondary pressure lumen 62 disposed in a side-by-side configuration. As shown, the reduced pressure lumen 52 includes a first end 54 and a second end 56. The reduced pressure lumen 52 is fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure tube 14 adjacent its first end 54. The secondary pressure lumen 62 similarly includes a first end 64 and a second end 66, the secondary pressure lumen 62 is fluidly coupled to the secondary pressure tube 24 adjacent its first end 64. At their respective second ends 56 and 66, the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 are fluidly connected to facilitate flow of wound exudate as described above with respect to FIG. 1 when the secondary pressure source 22 is activated. As shown, a foam/gauze material 75 may be disposed within the reduced pressure lumen 52 and/or the secondary pressure lumen 62. Referring to FIG. 2, the foam 75 may be unitary and thus molded to fit the fluid connected lumens 52, 62. In alternative embodiments, the foam 75 may be separated into separate sections.

With continuing reference to FIG. 2, the bridge 50 further includes a fluid adapter 58 for connecting to the wound dressing 16 (although technically the fluid adapter 58 would be shown in a bottom view of FIG. 2, the fluid adapter 58 is shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 and other embodiments shown herein to depict the positioning of the adapters relative to the lumens of the bridge). The fluid adapter 58 is positioned and configured with respect to the reduced pressure lumen 52 to apply reduced pressure generated from the reduced pressure source 12 to the wound site through the wound dressing 16 and deliver exudate drawn from the wound site through the adapter 58 to the reduced pressure lumen 52 of the bridge 50. It should be understood that the fluid adapter 58, as well as other fluid adapters and connection points described herein, may take various forms to fluidly connect two conduits or passageways as is generally known in the art. In certain embodiments, the fluid adapter 58 is simply a female type opening or receptor for fluidly coupling to a corresponding male opening or adapter protruding from the wound dressing 16. In other embodiments, the fluid adapter 58 of the bridge 50 may be in the form of a small tube or other male type piece for fluidly coupling to a corresponding female type receptor of the wound dressing 16. Similarly, the fluid adapter 58 may be a separate component having a first end configured to be fluidly connected to the bridge 50 and a second end configured to be fluidly connected to the dressing 16.

In certain embodiments, the bridge 50 could include a plurality of fluid adapters 58 for fluidly coupling the bridge 50 to a wound dressing 16 at a plurality of points along the dressing 16 or for fluidly coupling the bridge 50 to a plurality of wound dressings 16 and/or wound sites. For example, depending on the location of a patient's various wound sites and the length of the reduced pressure lumen 52 of the bridge 50, a plurality of fluid adapters 58 could be disposed along the length of the reduced pressure lumen 52 to fluidly couple the bridge 50 to a plurality of wound sites. In other embodiments, the bridge 50 could be fluidly coupled at two or more points to the same wound dressing 16. For example, the bridge 50 may include a first fluid adapter 58 adjacent the second end 66 of the secondary pressure lumen 62 and a second fluid adapter 58 adjacent the second end 56 of the reduced pressure lumen 52. In this latter embodiment, the fluid provided by the secondary pressure source 22 may have a particular composition chosen to serve a specific purpose during the wound therapy treatment since the secondary pressure will be delivered to the wound dressing 16 rather than just to the bridge 50. For example, the air supplied to the wound dressing 16 from the secondary pressure source 22 may have a higher oxygen content, a specific humidity level, and/or a specific pH level depending on the desired treatment of the wound site. Furthermore, in this embodiment where both the secondary pressure from the secondary pressure source 22 and the reduced pressure from the reduced pressure source 14 are supplied to the wound dressing 16 through a plurality of fluid adapters 58, the convergent fluid path 46 described above may occur within the wound dressing 16 instead of or in addition to the bridge 50.

It has been determined that improved exudate removal has been observed if the point where the first fluid path 32 converges with the second fluid path 42 is close to the wound site. Therefore, in preferred embodiments, and particularly in situations where the bridge 50 is fluidly coupled to a single wound site, the one or more fluid adapters 58 are preferably positioned adjacent to the area of the bridge 50 where the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 are fluidly connected. In other words, the connection between the bridge 50 and the wound dressing 16 is preferably positioned at the point where the fluid flow paths 32 and 42 of FIG. 1 converge to form the convergent fluid flow path 46. Thus, in the side-by-side embodiment of FIG. 2, the bridge 50 is preferably “U” shaped with the connection between the bridge 50 and the wound dressing 16 being positioned near the midpoint of the “U” where the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 converge. Similarly, in embodiments where multiple wound sites are to be treated, the bridge 50 is preferably connected to the dressing 16 of the most critical wound site to be treated such that the converging fluid flow path 46 occurs adjacent to the most critical wound site.

Referring to FIG. 3, a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the bridge 50 is shown with the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 positioned above each other as compared to the side-by-side arrangement of FIG. 2. To connect the bridge 50 to a wound dressing 16, one or more fluid adapters 58 are disposed on the lower surface of the lower lumen. In accordance with this embodiment, the reduced pressure lumen 52 is preferably positioned below the secondary pressure lumen 62 such that the reduced pressure lumen 52 would be adjacent to the patient's skin when the bridge 50 is used. Thus, the fluid adapter 58 of this embodiment is positioned on the lower surface of the reduced pressure lumen 52 as shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 are preferably formed by a first sealing member 70, a second sealing member 74 (not shown in the bottom cross-sectional view of FIG. 2), and a collecting member 72 disposed between the first sealing member 70 and the second sealing member 74 to form the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62. In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the first sealing member 70 and the second sealing member 74 are preferably thin layers of polyurethane film sealed together both around their peripheries to form a substantially sealed enclosure and along an inner portion of the sealing members 70, 74 to separate the sealed enclosure into the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62. Thus, in accordance with this embodiment, the manifold member 72 is formed by sealing portions of the inner surfaces of the sealing members 70, 74 together. Moreover, in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3, the collecting member 72 is a sealing member separate from the bridge 50 disposed between the first and second sealing members 70, 74 such that the reduced pressure lumen 52 is disposed between the first sealing member 70 and the collecting member 72 while the secondary pressure lumen 62 is disposed between the second sealing member 74 and the collecting member 72. For purposes of the disclosure, the first sealing member 70 and the second sealing member 74 are referred to as “sealing members” because they form walls that seal the bridge 50 from the outside environment. The manifold member 72 is referred to as a manifold member because it separates the sealed enclosure formed by the first and second sealing members 70, 74 into respective lumens 52, 62. In both embodiments, the manifold member 72 then includes an opening 73 for fluidly connecting the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 within the bridge 50 to form a fluid flow path between the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62. Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 3, one or more fluid adapters 58 are disposed on the first sealing member 70 preferably below the opening 73 of the manifold member 72 (i.e., along the fluid flow path of the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62). Furthermore, referring to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the fluid adapter(s) 58 would preferably be disposed in a lower sealing member generally aligned with the opening 73 of the manifold member 72.

In certain embodiments, the first sealing member 70 described above may also be referred to as a skin-contacting surface, since it is intended to be disposed at least in part against the skin of a patient during use. In certain embodiments, and where the first sealing member 70 is intended to be the skin-contacting surface of the bridge 50, at least the first sealing member 70 includes a moisture-permeable membrane to allow moisture from the patient to transfer to at least one of the reduced pressure lumen 52 and the secondary pressure lumen 62 through the moisture-permeable membrane. For example, with reference to the side-by-side configurations of FIGS. 1-2 , the first sealing member 70 is adapted to come into contact with the patient's skin by securing the bridge 50 to a wound dressing 16. Thus, in this embodiment, the first sealing member 70 is formed of a polyurethane film that is moisture permeable to allow moisture from the patient to be wicked through the first sealing member 70 so that it can be absorbed by the foam 75 within the bridge 50 and/or transported out of the bridge 50 by the reduced pressure source 12. Similarly, with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 3 , the first sealing member 70 is the lower sealing member that comes into contact with the patient's skin and includes the moisture permeable membrane to absorb moisture that will be transferred from the patient's skin to the lower lumen (shown as reduced pressure lumen 52 in FIG. 3 ) of the bridge 50.

In certain embodiments, the first sealing member 70 may also include an adhesive for securing the bridge 50 to the patient's skin. In accordance with this embodiment, a release liner may be provided over the adhesive portions of the first sealing member to cover the adhesive prior to securing the bridge 50 to the patient's skin. Referring to FIG. 2A , which depicts the bridge 50 of FIG. 2 with a release liner 90 covering the first sealing member 70, the release liner 90 preferably includes a plurality of sections 92 separated by perforations 94. Thus, in accordance with this embodiment, a nurse or other caregiver may selectively remove the liner 90 from desired sections 92 for selective application of the adhesive of the first sealing member 70 to the patient's skin.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, and with reference to FIGS. 4-9, the bridge 100 may be formed from a plurality of modular components. As shown in FIG. 4, each modular bridge 100 includes a connecting bridge 150 generally similar to the bridge 50 of FIGS. 1-3. Thus, the connecting bridge 150 includes a reduced pressure lumen 152 and a secondary pressure lumen 162. The reduced pressure lumen 152 and the secondary pressure lumen 162 are fluidly connected within the connecting bridge 150. One or more fluid adapters 158 are disposed adjacent to the area where the lumens 152, 162 are fluidly connected to fluidly connect the connecting bridge 150 to a wound dressing. In certain embodiments, the first end 154 of the reduced pressure lumen 152 and the first end 164 of the secondary pressure lumen 162 may be directly connected to the reduced pressure tubing 14 and the secondary pressure tubing 24 using respective fluid adapters 155, 165. However, in other embodiments, the connection bridge 150 includes additional modular components depending on the needs of the patient, such as the desired length of the bridge 100, the number of wound sites that are fluidly coupled to the pressure sources by the bridge 100, and the location of the wound sites.

Similar to the fluid adapter 58 described above, the fluid adapters 155, 165 for connecting the connecting bridge 150 to other modular components described below may take numerous forms so long as they allow for a sealed fluid connection between the desired components to maintain the desired fluid flow paths 32, 42. Furthermore, the location of the connection points may vary. For example, with reference to FIG. 4B , the fluid adapter 155 is in the form of an opening positioned atop the end 154 adjacent the reduced pressure lumen 152. However, in other embodiments, the fluid adapter 155 could be an opening formed directly in the end 154 or a male coupling member protruding from the end 154. It should also be understood that portions of the modular components that come into contact with the skin could include a moisture permeable membrane and/or an adhesive as described above with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 23.

Referring to FIG. 5, a dual lumen extension member 180 may be utilized when it is desired to extend the length of the reduced pressure lumen 152 and the secondary pressure lumen 162 of the connecting bridge 150. Thus, the dual lumen extension member 180 includes a first lumen 182 having fluid adapters 185, 187 adjacent opposite ends of the first lumen 182. Referring to FIG. 5B, the fluid adapter 185 is disposed on the lower surface of the first lumen 182 to fluidly connect the first lumen 182 to the reduced pressure lumen 152 of the connecting bridge 150 via the fluid adapter 155 shown in FIG. 4. The fluid adapter 187 may then be used to fluidly connect the first lumen 182 to another modular component or to the reduced pressure tubing 14. The dual lumen extension member 180 further includes a second lumen 192 that is fluidly connectable to the secondary pressure lumen 162 of the connecting bridge 150 via the fluid adapter 195 while being fluidly connected to another modular component or to the secondary pressure tubing 24 via the fluid adapter 197. Because the dual extension member 180 is merely adapted to extend the first and second fluid flow paths 32, 42 while the connecting bridge 150 provides the converging flow path 46, the first lumen 182 and the second lumen 192 of the dual lumen extension member 180 are preferably fluidly isolated from each other as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 6, another modular component may be provided with a single lumen 202 to provide a single lumen extension element 200. The single lumen extension element 200 may be used to extend the reduced pressure lumen 152 or the secondary pressure lumen 162 of the connecting bridge 150 by connecting the fluid adapter 205 to one of the fluid adapters 155 or 165 of the connecting bridge 150 (or to a fluid adapter of an intermediate modular component if the single lumen extension element is not directly connected to the connecting bridge 150). For example, if it is desired to extend the secondary pressure lumen 162 before connecting it to the secondary pressure tube 24 without extending the reduced pressure lumen 152 in a direction similar to that shown below with respect to FIG. 9. The single lumen extension member 200 may be fluidly connectable to the secondary pressure lumen 162 of the connection bridge 150 via the fluid adapter 205 of the single lumen extension member 200 connecting to the fluid adapter 155 of the connection bridge 150. In accordance with embodiments where the wound dressing 16 includes multiple connection points, the single lumen extension member 200 may also be used to fluidly couple one of the connection points of the wound dressing 16 to the reduced pressure tube 14 while another single lumen extension member 200 is used to fluidly couple the secondary pressure tube 24 to a second connection point of the wound dressing 16.

As exemplified in FIGS. 7-9, the modular components described above can be used to provide variable configurations for a bridge 100 connecting the reduced pressure tubes 14 and the secondary pressure tubes 24 to a plurality of wound dressings 16A, 16B, 16C. For example, with reference to FIG. 7, the connecting bridge 150 is fluidly connected to the wound dressing 16A such that the converging fluid path as described above occurs as close to the wound dressing 16A as possible. The wound dressing 16A will generally be the most critical wound site needing treatment. However, it could also be selected based on other factors, such as location relative to other wound sites and/or distance from pressure sources. Therefore, for the purposes of the present disclosure, the wound dressing 16A to which the connection bridge 150 is connected may also be referred to as the connection site 16A. To connect the bridge 100 to additional wound dressings 16B and 16C that may generally be disposed along the same skin line of a patient with respect to the connection site 16A, one or more dual-lumen extension elements 180A, 180B, 180C are fluidly coupled to the connection bridge 150. In accordance with this embodiment, the first lumen 182A, 182B of the dual-lumen extension elements 180A, 180B include one or more fluid adapters 188A, 188B disposed along the length of the first lumens 182A, 182B to fluidly couple the first fluid flow path 32 to the wound dressings 16B and 16C. Then, the first lumen 182C of the dual extension element 180C connects the first fluid flow path 32 to the reduced pressure tube 14. To extend the second fluid flow path 42, the second lumens 192A, 192B, 192C of the dual extension elements 180A, 180B, 180C are fluidly coupled in a similar manner to the connecting bridge 150 and the secondary pressure tube 24.

Referring to FIG. 8, a configuration similar to FIG. 7 is shown in which the bridge 100 includes dual lumen extension members 180A, 180B, 180C. However, in accordance with this embodiment, instead of the fluid adapters 188A, 188B being connected to the wound dressings 16B, 16C, the fluid adapters 188A, 188B are first connected to respective single lumen extension members 200A, 200B which are in turn connected to the branched wound dressings 16B, 16C using fluid adapters 208A, 208B.

In another exemplary configuration as shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of single lumen extension elements may be used to fluidly couple the first fluid flow path 32 to the wound dressings 16B, 16C that are not positioned in a direct line with respect to the connection site 16A. In accordance with this embodiment, the single lumen extension elements 200A, 200B include one or more fluid adapters 208A, 208B disposed along the length of the single lumen extension elements 200A, 200B to fluidly couple the first fluid flow path 32 to the wound dressings 16B, 16C. The single lumen extension element 200C then carries the first fluid flow path 32 back along the line between the reduced pressure tube 14 and the connection site 16A. Single lumen extension members 200D, 200E are then used to extend the second fluid flow path 42 to a common point aligned with the single lumen extension member 200C. At that point, a double lumen extension member 180 is used to fluidly connect the first fluid flow path 32 to the reduced pressure tube 14 and the second fluid flow path 42 to the secondary pressure tube 24.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and their practical application, and thereby to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suitable for the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when construed according to the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

Claims (15)

1. A system (10) for facilitating the delivery of reduced pressure to a wound site, the system including a bridge (50) comprising: a reduced pressure lumen (52) having a first end (54) and a second end (56), the first end (54) of the reduced pressure lumen (52) configured to fluidly couple to a reduced pressure tube (14) that is fluidly coupled to a reduced pressure source (12); a secondary pressure lumen (62) having a first end (64) and a second end (66), the first end (64) of the secondary pressure lumen (62) being configured to fluidly couple to a secondary pressure tube (24) that is fluidly coupled to a secondary pressure source (22), and the second end (66) of the secondary pressure lumen (62) being fluidly coupled to the second end (56) of the reduced pressure lumen (52); and one or more fluid adapters (58) connectable to a wound dressing (16) disposed at the wound site, the one or more fluid adapters (58) being fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure lumen (52) for applying reduced pressure from the reduced pressure lumen (52) to the wound site through the wound dressing (16) and delivering exudate drawn from the wound site through the reduced pressure lumen (52) to the reduced pressure tubing (14). characterized in that the reduced pressure lumen (52) and the secondary pressure lumen (62) are formed by: a first sealing element (70) having an inner surface and an outer surface; a second sealing member (74) sealed to an outer periphery of the first sealing member (70), thereby forming a substantially sealed enclosure disposed between the first and second sealing members (70, 74), and an inner portion of the second sealing member (74) sealed along an inner portion of the first sealing member (70) to separate the sealed enclosure into the reduced pressure lumen (52) and the secondary pressure lumen (62); and a collecting element (72) arranged between the first sealing element (70) and the second sealing element (74); wherein the sealed enclosure comprises the reduced pressure lumen (52), the secondary pressure lumen (62), and the collecting member (72) disposed between the reduced pressure lumen (52) and the secondary pressure lumen (62), wherein the collecting member (72) includes an opening (73) that fluidly couples the secondary pressure lumen (62) to the reduced pressure lumen (62) to form a fluid flow path (42, 46, 32) within the sealed enclosure. 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluid adapters (58) extend through the first sealing member (70) and at least one of the one or more fluid adapters (58) is disposed adjacent to the opening (73) of the collecting member (72). 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first sealing member (70), in use, comes into contact with the skin of a patient, the first sealing member (70) including a moisture permeable membrane to allow moisture from the patient to be transferred to at least one of the reduced pressure lumen (52) and the secondary pressure lumen (62) through the moisture permeable membrane. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sealing member (70), in use, comes into contact with the skin of a patient, the first sealing member (70) including an adhesive for securing the bridge (50) to the skin of the patient and a release liner (90) for substantially covering the first sealing member (70) prior to securing the bridge (50) to the skin of the patient. 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the release liner (90) includes a plurality of perforated sections (92) to provide selective application of the first sealing member (70) to the skin of the patient. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid adapters (58) include a first fluid adapter disposed adjacent the second end (56) of the reduced pressure lumen (52) for connection to a first wound dressing connection site (16) and a second fluid adapter disposed adjacent the second end (66) of the secondary pressure lumen (62) for connection to a second wound dressing connection site (16), the secondary pressure lumen (62) being fluidly coupled to the reduced pressure lumen (52) based at least in part on a converging fluid flow path (46) between the first and second wound dressing connection sites (16). 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the bridge (50) further includes one or more modular components (100) for connecting the first end (54) of the reduced pressure lumen (52) to the reduced pressure tube (14) and for connecting the first end (64) of the secondary pressure lumen (62) to the secondary pressure tube (24), the one or more modular components (100) comprising one or more of a connection bridge (150), a double lumen extension element (180) and a single lumen extension element (200). 8. The system of claim 7 wherein one or more modular components (100) include the double lumen extension element (180), including: a first lumen (182) for fluidly coupling to the reduced pressure tube at a first end and to the reduced pressure lumen at a second end; and a second lumen (192) for fluidly coupling to the secondary pressure tube at a first end and to the secondary pressure lumen at a second end, wherein the first lumen (182) of the double lumen extension element is fluidly isolated from the second lumen (192). 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first lumen (182) includes one or more fluid adapters for connecting the first lumen (182) to a second wound dressing disposed at a second wound site. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first lumen (182) of the dual lumen extension element (180) includes a fluid adapter disposed between the first end and the second end of the first lumen (182), the one or more modular components further include a reduced pressure lumen extension element for fluidly coupling to the fluid adapter of the first lumen (182) of the dual lumen extension element (180), the reduced pressure lumen extension element has one or more fluid adapters for connecting the reduced pressure lumen extension element to a second wound dressing disposed at a second wound site. 11. The system of claim 7 wherein one or more modular components (100) include: a first modular component including a single lumen for fluidly coupling to the secondary pressure tube at a first end and to the secondary pressure lumen at a second end; and a second modular component including a single lumen for fluidly coupling to the reduced pressure tubing at a first end and to the reduced pressure lumen at a second end, the single lumen including one or more fluid adapters disposed between the first end and the second end for connecting the second modular component to a second wound dressing disposed at a second wound site. 12. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more modular components (100) include one or more single lumen extension elements (200) for fluidly coupling to the secondary pressure tube at a first end and the secondary pressure lumen at a second end or to the reduced pressure tube at the first end and the reduced pressure lumen at the second end. 13. The system of claim 1 further comprises: the reduced pressure source (12) that supplies the reduced pressure through the reduced pressure tube (14); a container (20) fluidly coupled with the reduced pressure source (12) and the reduced pressure tube (14) for receiving exudate collected from the wound site; and the secondary pressure source (22) that supplies the secondary pressure through the secondary pressure pipe (24). 14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a first closed volume disposed between the reduced pressure source (12) and the second end (56) of the reduced pressure lumen (52) of the bridge (50) and a second closed volume disposed between the secondary pressure source (22) and the second end (66) of the secondary pressure lumen (62) of the bridge (50), the first closed volume and the second closed volume at the second ends (56, 66) of the reduced pressure lumen (52) and the secondary pressure lumen (62) being fluidly connected. optionally wherein the first closed volume includes a first pressure sensor and the second closed volume includes a second pressure sensor. 15. The system of claim 13 further comprises a controller communicating with the secondary pressure source (22) to selectively supply the secondary pressure to the secondary pressure lumen (62) of the bridge (50).